Family

Code 4

Code 6

ITIS

ILLUSTRATION

PHOTOS

CONSERVATION STATUS

The Dickcissel has a large range, estimated globally at 3,500,000 square kilometers. It is native to the nations of North, Central, and South America and prefers savanna and grassland ecosystems, though it has been known to reside in areas or arable or pasture land. The global population of this bird is 22,000,000 individuals and despite threats from crop dusters and agricultural chemicals, it does not appear to meet population decline criteria that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. The current evaluation status of the Dickcissel is Least Concern.

SUMMARY

Overview

Dickcissel: Medium-sized, stocky, sparrow-like bird. The Male (shown in background) has a dark gray back and head, and black-streaked shoulders. Face is gray with yellow eyestripe and breast is yellow. V-shaped bib is black. Wings are brown with chestnut-brown patches. The female (shown in foreground) and winter adult have brown streaked upperparts and no black bib. The juvenile is brown and streaked.

Range and Habitat

Dickcissel: Breeds from eastern Montana and the Great Lakes region through the Mississippi River Valley and south to Texas and the Gulf coast, locally farther east. Spends winters mainly in the tropics from southern Mexico south. Preferred habitats include open country in grain or hay fields and in weed patches.

Dickcissel SONGS AND CALLS

Dickcissel TT1

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Calls from a large flock.

Dickcissel H1

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Song is a repeated "dick, dick, ciss, ciss, ciss".

Similar Sounding

Sedge Wren A1

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Song starts with a few short notes, followed by dry staccato chattering.

Voice Text

"dick-dick-dick-cissel"

INTERESTING FACTS

Migratory flocks of Dickcissels assemble into larger and larger flocks gradually growing into thousands of birds. Winter roosts can number in the millions of birds.

The male does little other than feed himself and try to attract a mate. The female builds the nest, incubates and feeds the young.

SIMILAR BIRDS

RANGE MAP NORTH AMERICA

About this North America Map

This map shows how this species is distributed across North America.

FAMILY DESCRIPTION

Cardinals, Piranga Tanagers and Allies (Cardinalidae)

ORDER

The cardinals and grosbeaks are one of the one hundred eighteen families of birds in the order PASSERIFORMES (pronounced pas-ser-i-FOR-meez); a large taxonomic order that includes other families of finch-like birds such as the weavers, estrilid finches, and sparrows.

FAMILY TAXONOMY

The bird family Cardinalidae (pronounced kar-dih-NAH-lih-dee), which includes the cardinals and grosbeaks, is composed of forty-two species of birds in eleven genera restricted to the New World.

NORTH AMERICA

In North America, there are twenty-five species of Cardinalidae in eight genera. Cardinals, grosbeaks, and the colorful buntings are all members of this bird family.

KNOWN FOR

Members of the Cardinalidae such as the Painted Bunting are known for their colorful plumages. The males of this brilliant species are decked out in such brilliant colors that they appear to have been painted – hence their name. Of course, the male Northern Cardinal with its proud crested head and cheery red plumage has become an iconic image among bird enthusiasts throughout North America.

PHYSICAL

Members of this bird family are small to medium sized birds with rather long tails, short wings, fairly long, strong legs and feet suited for perching. Some species have crested heads and all have short, stout bills adapted to cracking open seeds.

COLORATION

A family known for their bright colors, male plumages are generally brighter than those of females and are a sampling of the colors of the rainbow from vivid violets and blues to bright, orange, yellow, and reds. Black, white, and greenish coloration also occur in this family. Females lack bright coloration and tend to have brown, streaked plumages.

GEOGRAPHIC HABITAT

In North America, members of this family range from British Columbia, Canada south into the Neotropical region where most species occur. The northernmost species are the Black-headed and the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, one occurring in the coniferous forests of the west and the other mostly inhabiting the deciduous forests of the east. Other members of this family are birds of edge habitats and second growth.

MIGRATION

A few members of this family are long distance migrants to Central and South America while others are permanent residents.

HABITS

Most cardinals, piranga tanagers and allies are solitary birds although some species flock together during migration and winter, the Dickcissel in particular forming large flocks. Foraging for invertebrates and seeds takes place in trees, bushes and on the ground.

CONSERVATION

The Painted Bunting has shown a sharp decline in some areas of its range. This brilliant species is threatened by habitat loss, parasitism by the Brown-headed Cowbird, and is probably affected by the thousands of birds trapped each year in its wintering range in Mexico.

INTERESTING FACTS

The Dickcissel is often called the “ricebird” on its wintering grounds in the wet savannahs of South America as it often feeds on rice grain. It is sometimes considered a pest for this reason, especially because it occurs in flocks that number in the thousands.